The use of polyfunctional (meth)acrylic acid derivatives as components for tooth-filling materials is known. Thus, in EP-A No. 0,017,936, acrylic acid esters and methacrylic acid esters of pentaerythritol are described. In combination with inorganic fillers, the monomers described therein provide dental materials which show undesired shrinkage on polymerization, causing the formation of a gap between the tooth material and the filling material.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,554,336, (meth)acrylic acid derivatives containing urethane groups are described for adhesives in the dental field, wherein the urethane groups are substituted by a radical containing a (meth)acrylate group. These compounds as components in dental compositions show inadequate properties, in particular a strength which is too low for use in practice.